The DC-8 is being prepared at night on the ramp in Palmdale, Calif. for the transit flight to Punta Arenas, Chile. The DC-8 took off for a 10.7 hour long transit flight from NASA's Dryden Aircraft Operation Facility in Palmdale, Calif. to Santiago, Chile on Oct. 8, 2012. They took off shortly before midnight to arrive in Santiago at midday. Credit: NASA/Michael Studinger